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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26411263">Together, We Rise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/werewolvesRvalid/pseuds/werewolvesRvalid'>werewolvesRvalid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunter X Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Angst, Mute Nanika (Hunter X Hunter), Nonbinary Kalluto Zoldyck, Nonbinary Nanika (Hunter X Hunter), Trans Alluka Zoldyck, Twin AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:20:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,641</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26411263</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/werewolvesRvalid/pseuds/werewolvesRvalid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started with a chance.<br/>Alluka and Nanika, two twins born into an elite family, have been cast in the shadows all their life. Isolated from the world, their only friends are their big brother Killua and Canary, one of the butlers working for her family.<br/>When the universe gives them an out, they don’t hesitate to take advantage of it. Along with Killua and their little sibling Kalluto, the twins finally get to see the world they’ve always dreamed of living in; it’s just a matter of figuring out what they want to do next. At least, they get to experience everything together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alluka Zoldyck &amp; Kalluto Zoldyck, Alluka Zoldyck &amp; Killua Zoldyck, Amane/Canary, Gon Freecs &amp; Alluka Zoldyck, Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nanika &amp; Alluka Zoldyck, Nanika &amp; Alluka Zoldyck &amp; Canary, Nanika &amp; Kalluto Zoldyck, Nanika &amp; Killua Zoldyck, Nanika &amp; Leorio Paladiknight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>HXHBB20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Together, We Rise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>it's here y'all!! this piece was written for the HxH Big Bang 2020 hosted by @hxhbb20 on tumblr, go check it out for tons of more amazing art and fics!! i'm so excited to be posting this, it's my first fic ever so i'm super nervous but i hope everyone enjoys it :] have a lovely week and thanks for reading &lt;3</p><p>art by @gachahugs on tumblr: https://gachahugs.tumblr.com/post/628995451572699136/my-piece-for-hxhbb20-i-drew-the-final-scene</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alluka hasn’t seen Killua in six months.</p><p>She hasn’t seen much of anyone, for that matter. Last she saw Killua, she and her sister weren’t stuck in this stifling basement. She remembers the excitement in her brother’s whispered voice as he announced that their parents were allowing him to apply for Hunter Academy; Hunter Academy is a super prestigious college-prep school known for its unconventional entrance exam and low acceptance rate. But, her brother hardly cared about the status and prestige. </p><p>Hunter Academy just so happens to be a boarding school, out from under the thumb of their family.</p><p>It’s a miracle, really, that Killua was even allowed to apply. The Zoldyck family has a long history with a school that Alluka couldn’t be bothered to remember the name of. Her parents, her older brothers— they all went to that same school. The Zoldycks are obsessed with their legacy like that. It’s an elite family, after all, and they carefully craft their image to an immaculate level, maintaining perfection at all angles. Anything that breaks that illusion is swept away like foul dust. Alluka knows this system intimately— It’s what landed her and Nanika in this basement in the first place.</p><p>A firm and familiar knock at the door pulls Alluka from her musings. Only two people visited them nowadays, and she knows exactly who was at the door. Nanika also pauses what they were doing to look up at the sudden sound. Simultaneously, Alluka flings her legs over the edge of the bed she was laying on and Nanika places a creased bookmark in their book before hopping up from the bean bag chair in the corner of the room.</p><p>Without a glance, Nanika grabs Alluka by the hand and they make the trip up the short flight of stairs, moving as quickly as they dared and dodging the creaky steps with practiced ease— no one is supposed to enter this part of the estate without permission from their parents, and they didn’t want their only two friends to potentially get caught due to their restlessness and get hurt. Or worse.</p><p>Once the door comes within reach, Alluka grips the door handle and slowly eases it open to peek at the girl waiting outside. Canary stands there with her usual mask of professionalism, and Alluka opens the door enough to let her slip inside. </p><p>Immediately, Nanika pounces on Canary with a hug, and Alluka follows in suit with a quiet, happy squeal. Canary’s cold expression slips off as she returns the hug.</p><p>“It’s nice to see you, too,” Canary says with a hint of amusement at their enthusiasm. Alluka loves when Canary comes to see them; she always has fun stories to tell and helps them out with little things when she can, even though she acts cold. When Nanika mentioned that there was no clock anywhere in the basement, only a small window to see the sky with, Canary came back the next day with a calendar so they wouldn’t lose track of time. Nanika always makes sure to mark off each day as it passes.</p><p>What Alluka enjoys most, however, is when Canary sits down on the old staircase with the twins and tells them stories; Canary is a supremely good storyteller. Sometimes she makes up stories, fantastical tales about whimsical things, and sometimes she keeps them updated about important news from outside. </p><p>One time, Canary was just about to start regaling Alluka and Nanika a grand tale of adventure when her phone sounded off with a little ping. Nanika cut Alluka off before she could launch into an interrogation. But, they couldn’t hide their own curiosity.</p><p>That’s how they both ended up learning about Canary’s girlfriend, Amane. </p><p>If Canary is soft with Alluka and Nanika, she is positively fluffy when talking about Amane. They were apparently neighbors before Canary took a job from the Zoldyck family to support herself. Canary isn’t always required on the estate, and can leave occasionally to meet up with Amane. It was actually a very sweet story, Alluka thought. Love is a good look on Canary, making the age fall off her face and her voice shy but steady.</p><p>She and Nanika had immediately decided that they needed to meet Amane as soon as they got out of this house. Alluka ignores the “if” that lingered in the wake of that particular idea.</p><p>Nanika must have signed something that Alluka didn’t see, because Canary is suddenly shaking her head. “I can’t stay long. But, I do have some good news for you two.” Alluka brushes off her disappointment and gives Canary her full attention. Alluka hates being out of the loop, Nanika even more so, so any news is sorely appreciated.</p><p>The corner of Canary’s mouth quirks up. “Killua will be returning for summer break in a little under two weeks.”</p><p>Nanika grabs Alluka's hand in a death grip. They barely even hear anything about their brother, let alone get the chance to see him. “Really?” Alluka speaks for the first time the whole conversation. “We can see Killua again?”</p><p>Alluka pulls Nanika into a tight hug at the nod she receives. Canary continues speaking with a sigh. “Unfortunately, I won’t be able to visit again until Killua arrives. The staff are going to be quite preoccupied leading up to break, so I won't have time to slip away.”</p><p>Alluka deflates a bit, but her spirits are still high. It’s certainly not the longest that Canary has been forced to stay away for. </p><p>Not long after, Canary is slipping out the door with a small wave and well wishes. Alluka gives a small wave back until the door closes again with a silent click. She doesn’t move until the steady rhythm of Canary’s footsteps fades away into silence.</p><p>No matter how long these visits last, they always feel too short. She didn’t want to go back to the room with its false cheeriness and empty comforts. The brightly colored paint couldn’t hide the cold brick walls, nor could any amount of mindless activities keep her distracted for long.</p><p>But they have nowhere else to go. Not right now, at least. A spark of hope flickers within her, because if anyone could get them out, it would be Killua.</p><p>With a sigh, she turns away from the door to look down the staircase. Looking at it from this angle, she akins it more to the mouth of a cave, or some big, scary monster. Nanika lays their head on her shoulder, and Alluka lays her head atop of Nanika’s head in turn. Not for the first time, Alluka entertains the thought of busting down the door and running away together with her sister, just to see if they could. She always dismisses the thought in the end. It’s a selfish idea; she wasn’t the only one looking to get away.</p><p>Glaring at the stairs with a weary look, she takes Nanika’s hand and begins her descent back into the basement. She misses being free. </p>
<hr/><p>The next couple of weeks are spent fighting off their combined restlessness and the scorching heat wave that decided to roll through. No matter how sluggish she feels from the sticky July weather, she can’t shake off the buzzing beneath her skin. Luckily, she is fairly resistant to the heat, but even she is falling victim to the high temperatures. Nanika, however, was not so lucky; the janky air conditioning in their room could only do so much. </p><p>Nanika is currently sprawled out on the bathroom floor (they claim that the cool tile is the only thing keeping them from melting into a puddle) and Alluka is half tempted to join them. It’s the third day of the heat wave and the sun is at its highest peak for the day. Neither of them know how long the heat wave will last, since Canary can’t see them until Killua comes back for break.</p><p>Alluka has taken her hair out of the twin braids she had styled earlier that morning and is tucking her long hair up into a high bun to keep it off her neck. She tilts her head around to inspect her work after placing the last bobby pin in her hair. Giving herself a satisfied nod in the cracked mirror by her bed, she pads over to her sister.</p><p>“Nanika! Do you want me to put your hair up?” Alluka nudges their arm with her foot to try and catch their attention. In lieu of signing a response, Nanika sits up without hesitation so Alluka could reach their hair. Giggling a little to herself, she sits with her legs crossed facing Nanika’s back and starts brushing their short, wavy hair into sections.</p><p>Letting her mind drift while she methodically styles Nanika’s hair, she can’t help but marvel at how similar and yet completely different she and her sister are. They have the same light brown skin, dark, wavy hair, and blue eyes, but Nanika has many white patches all over their body; they looked up the word “vitiligo” together one afternoon long ago after the first few patches appeared. Alluka, on the other hand, has some little, faded scars on her body from days spent exploring and romping around the forest of the estate. </p><p>Killua likes to refer to Alluka and Nanika as the “un-identical twins.” If Alluka is the brawn of the two, Nanika is undeniably the brains. She thinks it’s nice how they can depend on each other to make up for their weaknesses; it’s like having an ally in all aspects of life. But, for as bookish as Alluka is sporty, Nanika matches Alluka step for step in sheer competitiveness. Killua had to hide one particular fighting game after almost two days of fierce, digital combat. She doesn't think they ever got around to tying that match up, in the end.</p><p>Her trail of thought is brought back to the present as she finishes up Nanika’s hair. It’s a braid crown, two loose braids coming to meet at the back of their head. Alluka never makes her braids too tight, on herself or others; she’d rather everyone avoid a headache.</p><p>“Done!” She announces after she sits back on her heels. Nanika brings a hand up to feel the back of their head, a rejuvenated look on their face. Pleased, and still thinking of video games, Alluka stands up with a hop. “Wanna play a few games with me? I’ll bring them in here to play, of course.” She’s already turning around, mentally trying to decide between which games to grab, when a hand gently tugs her wrist.</p><p>“I’d love to play a game with you,” Nanika signs with a small, teasing grin. Alluka gains a sheepish smile of her own. She got so excited she forgot to get an answer before running off; she’s always been impatient like that.</p><p>Nanika’s smile turns soft. “Thank you, Alluka. For the hair and for hanging out with me in the bathroom, of all places. You’re a great sister.”</p><p>Sister. Nanika was the first one to call her that, and it’s a title she wears proudly. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get tired of hearing it. Her face is glowing as she tackles Nanika in a tight hug. </p><p>“Anytime!”</p>
<hr/><p>The heat wave finally passes along with a few slow days, and suddenly it’s the eve before summer break. The days are dragging longer and longer, and the sun has yet to set even well into the evening. That’s probably why Alluka nearly jumps out of her skin when she feels a cold hand press onto her shoulder. </p><p>When she whips her head around, she comes face to face with a blank-faced Kalluto. She presses a hand to her racing heart with a sigh and pins Kalluto with a pout. They’re as bad as Killua with the jump scaring; those two have the same deathly silent walk, and they always catch her unaware like this. A cat’s footsteps would sound like a car crash in comparison.</p><p>Standing up from the carpet floor, Alluka sets down the clipboard she’s using to make thread bracelets onto the table next to her and gives her attention to Kalluto. Her hands rest on her hips in what she hopes is a casual pose.</p><p>Normally, Kalluto doesn’t say much to her, opting to keep to themselves or chat with Nanika instead. They’re relationship isn’t bad, per se, but it wasn’t great at the start, either. Kalluto came off as aloof towards Alluka, even outright ignoring her when she tried to start a conversation. It’s out of character for them to approach her first, even without the lingering animosity between them.</p><p>Actually, Kalluto seems a little surprised themselves, like they haven’t quite thought this far ahead. They haven’t said anything, still trying to collect their words. The edges of their mouth flutter, as if the words are right behind their lips, yet they keep stopping themselves from speaking. Finally, Kalluto shakes their head, almost regretfully so.</p><p>“Never mind.” They’re already up the stairs before she can get a word in edgewise. Alluka reaches a hand out, but quickly drops it. She doesn’t want to push when it’s obvious she shouldn’t. Besides, it’s not like she could if she wanted to with how suddenly Kalluto made their escape.</p><p>Alluka looks to Nanika, who is staring at the staircase from over the back of the couch. Nanika is hardly an open book about their feelings, but, sometimes, she can read them as clear as day. The melancholy etched onto their face is unsettling.</p><p>Alluka immediately moves to sit on the couch and scoops her sister into a hug. She doesn’t say anything, and neither does Nanika. They obviously know more about what’s going on with Kalluto than she does, and their frustration is evident. But, she isn’t hurt; Kalluto has always gotten along better with Nanika. Nanika is really good with people and always has been.</p><p>Even if she doesn’t know a lot, Alluka still worries. Kalluto is a very private person, preferring to hide how they feel. If Nanika can’t get through to them, then who can? Killua, probably. Kalluto cares about Killua, the same as Alluka and Nanika do. They trust him.</p><p>She hopes she can see him soon.</p>
<hr/><p>The house is quiet at night.</p><p>It’s a different kind of quiet than the one she’s used to. The silence of the basement is dead, making the very air heavy and stale. This quiet holds secrets, of things buried deep and shrouded by pretense. It feels ugly. She hates it, she decides. </p><p>Alluka bounces on the balls of her feet with oozing impatience, trying very hard not to do anything to break the silence. Nanika is sitting with their legs tucked underneath them, nervously smoothing out their black shorts and yellow tank top every other minute. Alluka herself has tied and re-tied her same pair of brown boots at least a dozen times. Anything to keep themselves busy while they waited. Next to her, the two bags that they prepared together are resting on the door leading downstairs. </p><p>It’s odd to be on the other side after so long. Nanika had hesitated to even cross the threshold, having to gather themselves to make the jump. </p><p>Alluka is getting antsier by the minute. Where were they? She’s nearly jumping in place when Killua finally turns the corner.</p><p>Her breath catches, and then she zips up to him and kisses him on the cheek, Nanika not far behind. Even with all the time spent apart, it feels like he never left.</p><p>He holds them tightly and for a moment, she’s content. Killua pulls away eventually with a finger to his lips; they're not out of the clear yet. They can catch up after they’ve left this place. Quickly, they pick up their bags and speed walk to the main doors.</p><p>Canary appeared at their door last night to explain what would be happening today. Killua couldn’t come himself since the family’s attention was on him. Canary didn’t explained how, but Killua convinced Father to let them leave while the family was out of the house, as long as they were gone before the next morning. It’s simple in theory, but the tension is palpable in the air as they walk.</p><p>Alluka managed to grab Canary before she left last night, asking if she was going to stay with them when they left. Canary said that she wants to be with Amane, so no, she wouldn’t. Of course, they would stay in contact; she’s such good friends with Killua, and Alluka thinks of her as a big sister. But, it’ll be odd without her when she’s been such a constant in Alluka’s life.</p><p>Speaking of, Canary joins them once they reach the main part of the house, falling in step next to them. Alluka should be ecstatic, but she has a nagging feeling that something isn’t right. It hits her when Nanika suddenly sprints down the hallway to the right.</p><p>“We’ll be right back!” She drops her bag and races after Nanika. Killua calls for them but she keeps going, skidding to stop in front of a plain door. She can’t believe she almost forgot; what kind of sister forgets about her little sibling?</p><p>Alluka swings the door open with a bang, but Kalluto doesn’t acknowledge the sound, continuing to stare out the window and standing with their back turned to them. The room is dark except for the moonlight, creating a long, faint shadow of Kalluto’s body along the floor. </p><p>Alluka is about to call out to them before she’s interrupted, “What are you doing here? You should be leaving,” Kalluto turns sharply to face her and Nanika, “correct?”</p><p>Alluka furrows her brow with a frown, “What do you mean ‘you’? You’re coming with us, aren’t you?” </p><p>They shake their head. “You know that I can’t leave. Mother has plans for me. You should go, before Father changes his mind.” Their tone is stern, but their gaze is resigned as they turn back to the window. Alluka clenches her fist and starts a retort right as Nanika surges past her and uncharacteristically slams their foot onto the ground. Kalluto spins back around with a confused sort of bewilderment. </p><p>“Don’t be stupid! Of course you can leave!” Nanika’s face is scrunched up in anger and her signs are fast and sloppy. “We’ve talked about this, Kalluto. There are people who care about you. I care about you. We care about you,” Nanika briefly squeezes Alluka’s hand, “and pushing everyone away won’t change that. Family sticks together.”</p><p>Alluka holds her fists by her chest. “They’re right, you know!” Kalluto blinks at her, and her gaze falls downwards. “I know we didn’t get along for awhile, and sometimes we still don’t, but,” she meets their eyes, “I’m so happy that I’m your big sister. You reached out to us when the rest of our family ignored us. So…”</p><p>She thrusts her hand out in front of her, palm facing up. “Let us return the favor. Come with!”</p><p>Kalluto stands shocked for a moment before their face twitches, “Killua came back for you two, he won’t—“</p><p>Nanika cuts them off by slicing the air with their hand. “He won’t turn you away. Even then, either we all go or no one does.” They reach one hand out like Alluka is, face set in finality.</p><p>“Do you really think that?” Alluka throws a quick glance backwards to see her brother walking towards them and Canary leaning against the doorframe. She hadn’t realized that they followed after them. Killua stops right behind her and Nanika, footsteps silent as ever, with an underlying tension twisting his face.</p><p>“Do you really think I would push you away? Kalluto, if I had known that you weren’t happy, I would have asked you to come along. I didn’t realize that…” Killua trails off, but she knows exactly what he means. None of them had thought that Kalluto wanted to leave. </p><p>While Alluka kept her distance from her parents, Kalluto did the exact opposite, going along with their parents' wishes to keep the heat off of themselves. Her and Nanika hadn’t realized it until Kalluto confided in them both. Kalluto wants out as badly as the rest of them.</p><p>A hand settles on her shoulder, and another on Nanika’s shoulder. He doesn’t say anything, but it’s obvious what he’s trying to show. He wants them to come. </p><p>Kalluto’s pink eyes are blown open, an incredulous expression written clearly on their face. They don’t say anything for a while, and Alluka’s arm starts to get tired. She doesn’t drop it, though. Not until she gets an answer. </p><p>The look in their eyes shifts and they walk to stand in front of them, no waver in their step. Kalluto lifts their hands, hovering for a second before placing one in each outstretched hand.</p><p>“Okay.” It’s barely a whisper, and they sound suspiciously choked up, but it’s all Alluka needs. </p><p>The tension bursts as she pulls them into a group hug, squeezing tight before waving her free hand at Canary in a silent invitation. Canary smiles a little, pleasant grin and drapes her arms over the huddle. Kalluto ducks their head, but their shaking shoulders give them away. Nanika is crying a little, too, and Killua’s eyes are glistening with unshed tears. Alluka can't help but giggle in relief. </p><p>When they finally walk away from the house, backs turned, Alluka finds that she doesn’t feel so selfish. Everyone is together.</p>
<hr/><p>It’s weird, not being with her family all the time. Over the past year, she and her siblings traveled around the country, trying to see as much as possible. Now summer’s come back around, and they’ve settled down on Whale Island.</p><p>Whale Island is, as its namesake states, a small island that looks like a whale from a distance. On the island itself, there are no big cities, only towns and villages spread out across the land. As a result, the fauna is lush and vibrant, and she’s caught glimpses of the wildlife in the forests. It’s peaceful.</p><p>She likes her neighbors. Killua’s friends all live here, too. She met Gon and Auntie Mito the first day they arrived. Alluka already knew about Gon because of Killua’s not-so-secret crush on him (which her family mercilessly teased him about, even Kalluto), but they ended up becoming fast friends. He’s the only one who will go catch bugs with her, since Killua screams at the sight of literally any bug and Nanika prefers to keep their distance from insects. He even promised to show her all the animals that lived in the forest around their town!</p><p>Auntie Mito is the best. She’s kind but stern in a way that shows she cares. Admittedly, Alluka had been weary of her at first, but she’s grown to be someone Alluka can depend on. Nanika went so far as to say that Auntie Mito feels like a mother. Alluka agrees.</p><p>Later in the week, she met the Paladiknights. She swears that Leorio is the nicest man she’s ever met. He’s a medical student at a big college off the island, but he lives and works here when school is on break. She hasn’t seen much of Kurapika yet, but she’s hopeful. According to Killua, he met them all at Hunter Academy.</p><p>Despite all the amazing people she’s met, she’s still unsure. It’s a big adjustment for her, and she’ll even start school after the summer. She’s only ever attended homeschooling, and she has no idea what to expect. Thankfully, all the schools are right next to each other so she won’t be far from her other siblings. Regardless, she’s still quite nervous, about a lot of things.</p><p>Over the past year, she hasn’t really considered what she wants for the future. It was never something she dwelled on before. Now, it’s staring her in the face and she doesn’t know what to do. </p><p>Down the road from their home is a beach, tucked away from view. Nanika is on her side and the sun is slowly descending into the horizon. Alluka doesn’t wait for long before speaking up.</p><p>“Hey, Nanika? Do you know… what you want to do?” They tilt their head as a gesture to elaborate. Alluka hugs her arms over her chest, “Well, it’s just that, I haven’t thought about what I wanna do when I grow up. Do you?”</p><p>Nanika wrings their hands together in thought. “I have an idea, yes,” they start slowly, “but all I truly know is that I want to help people.” </p><p>There's a glint of something in their eyes as they continue, “Actually, I was talking with Leorio and he said he would let me shadow him at the clinic! Medicine is such an interesting field, and this will be a great way to find out if it’s the one for me.”</p><p>Nanika’s joy is contagious, and Alluka breaks out into a genuine smile, “That’s so cool!” </p><p>Nanika looks pleased with themselves, then dons a more serious expression. “Now, tell me what’s wrong. You didn’t ask me that for nothing, I know you better than that.”</p><p>Alluka's grin slips off her face and she drops her head. She doesn’t speak for a couple minutes, before whispering, “I’m scared. About the future, and… not knowing.”</p><p>Nanika scoots closer to bump their shoulders together. “That’s normal. Most people don’t think about it until high school. Besides, we’re all going into the future together, we can help each other. You aren’t alone.”</p><p>Alluka nods with a watery sniff. She feels a bit lighter. She would have said more, but the sun finally set and they have to be home before it turns pitch black outside. She doesn’t bring it up again. </p><p>That night, her sleep is dreamless.</p>
<hr/><p>Rain pitter-patters on the surface of the lake, creating ripples that carry the fallen autumn leaves. Alluka pulls the hood of her raincoat farther over her face, watching intently as Gon baits the hook of his fishing pole.</p><p>She’s tagged along with Gon during his fishing trips before, but today, he decided to teach her how to fish. Rain, Gon claimed, is great for fishing. Plus, it’s a good excuse to relax. She started school a few weeks ago and it’s been a jarring experience, but she thinks she’s getting the hang of it.</p><p>He shows her a little of how to swing the pole and some general tips on what to do. He goes to bait a hook for her, but she’s determined to do it herself. Soon, they cast their lines from the shore and wait.</p><p>Gon and Alluka sit in a comfortable silence, as they usually do. Sometimes, one of them will spark a conversation for a bit, but Alluka is actually content to sit with her thoughts during these trips. She’s the kind of person who fills any silence with chatter, even if it’s one-sided, just so it isn’t quiet. But, like this, she can’t bring herself to care about it. Well, most of the time.</p><p>“Nanika shadowed Leorio at his job last week, before he had to leave for college again.” She can’t stop herself from tumbling into a long-winded ramble, “and they had a really good time! They were smiling so hard and sounded so excited about it, I was so glad since they seemed pretty worried going into it. Nanika told me that they totally want to be a doctor now.”</p><p>Ever the good listener, Gon hums and asks, “But…?”</p><p>She sighs. “But, it got me thinking about what I want to do. Now, don’t get me wrong! I’m proud of Nanika, it's not them that’s making me upset. It’s… well, I guess I’m thinking about the future— my future. I feel like I should have it all planned out by now, y’know?”</p><p>Gon picks up on her unspoken question. “Well, to be honest, the future was all I ever thought about until last year.” His voice almost sounds sheepish.</p><p>“What changed?” Alluka asks before she can think about how rude that probably was. Gon responses before she can retract her question, “I achieved my goal.”</p><p>He must sense her curiosity, as he continues on after a best of silence. “I went to Hunter Academy to look for my dad. Aunt Mito took me in when Ging disappeared one day, but not without leaving clues to find him. I was obsessed, to say the least,” the sheepishness creeps back into his voice, “and I based my whole future around finding him. And I did.”</p><p>Alluka looks at Gon from the corner of her eye, but he’s staring straight ahead. “I don’t know what I expected from him. I think part of me wanted him to come back to me and be a part of my life again. But, really, I should have known he would ignore me. I don’t think he really made those clues, I was just determined to have something of his.” His voice is subdued, and the rain nearly covers it up. </p><p>He continues, “I quit the academy after Killua left. I came back home and I’ve been trying to find what I want to do next since then.” Alluka doesn’t know how to respond. He isn’t looking for a response, however, as he pipes up to speak.</p><p>“Actually, Kurapika went through something similar. It’s not my place to tell, but I talked to them, and they told me something really important that day.” </p><p>Gon turns his head to meet Alluka’s eyes, “There’s no time limit on life, Alluka.”</p><p>“Oh.” She’s so shocked that the fishing pole almost launches out of her hands when something tugs on it. She totally forgot that she was fishing! The shift in focus gives her whiplash, but she promised herself that she could catch one, single fish. </p><p>Gon cheers her on as she focuses intensely on something typically so mundane. The fish is a beautiful, shimmery blue, and she nearly pricks her finger on the fins. Her mouth gapes for a second (not unlike a fish, she muses) before a huge smile splits her face. “I did it! Gon, look, I did it!” </p><p>In high spirits, she tackles Gon in a one-armed hug and whispers, “Thanks Gon, for everything.” He returns the hug as best as he can and breaks out in a smile before he’s suddenly reeling in a fish of his own.</p><p>Auntie Mito cooks the fish they caught for dinner that same evening. For once, she doesn’t see 15-steps ahead as she sets the table for Auntie Mito, who is humming pleasantly as she cooks. All she sees in what’s right in front of her. </p>
<hr/><p>What was originally planned to be a study session to finish their winter break homework had quickly dissolved into an impromptu sleepover. The snow picked up during the evening, and Auntie Mito insisted that everyone stay overnight to avoid the weather. It was a lot of fun, but eventually everyone passed out as the night settled in. </p><p>In the dark, Alluka can see Leorio, Kurapika, Gon, and Killua sleeping in a dog pile on the couch. She, Kalluto, and Nanika had made a nest of blankets and pillows on the ground to sleep on, where the two are still sound asleep. Alluka tossed and turned before giving up on sleep and walking a lap or two around the Freecss’ home, hoping to ease her restlessness; it’s just one of those nights. </p><p>She comes to a halt in front of a window, noticing that the snow has ceased falling, which left a still blanket of snow to cover the trees and grass. In a split second decision, she bundles up for the weather and slips out the front door into the cold.</p><p>The contrast between the warm house and the chilly air makes her shiver, but without the wind blowing or the snow falling, she doesn’t stay cold for long. She pads her way to the backyard and dusts off a fallen log to sit on. The backyard is less of a yard and more of a clearing, which allows her to see the bright, shining stars above her. The sky looks brilliant like this; she can see the galaxy in its entirety.</p><p>She watches the sky, looking for any constellations she might recognize. She finds the Big Dipper when she hears the crunching of snow behind her. She turns her head to see it’s only Nanika, wearing what looks like Leorio’s big, puffy jacket and their own winter boots. Alluka wipes the rest of the snow off the log so they can sit together. </p><p>Nanika doesn’t say anything, and neither does Alluka. She’s happy to sit with her sister and watch their breath plume into white clouds from the cold. Her eyelids begin to droop when Nanika taps her knee, effectively grabbing her attention. </p><p>“I’ve been meaning to ask this…” Their fingers float between the two of them for a moment, unsure how to word their question. “Alluka, are you still scared?”</p><p>She blinks, surprised by the question, but hums and closes her eyes in thought. She thinks of her family, all sleeping soundly inside, of her sister who sits beside her, her friends who she loves and all the things they’ve done together. </p><p>She thinks of how happy Kalluto looked when they brought home a friend from school, of how happy Canary and Amane seemed over the voice call they had recently, of how Leorio and Kurapika live in tandem with each other, like two halves of a whole. She thinks of how peaceful Killua is with Gon, and vice versa.</p><p>It doesn’t take much thought, really.</p><p>Interlocking her gloved hand with Nanika’s own, she answers simply, “Not anymore.”</p>
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